Hold the Line!
by Alevan
Summary: This is a fanfic based on the Indoctrination Theory... and if anyone who has seen it, imagined this. Its written for those people. It breaks the fourth wall. Heavily.


Author's Notes: For the record, I know not everyone agrees with the ending. This is based purely on the fan speculated Indoctrination Theory. If you, the reader, haven't heard of this theory, I'd look it up so you are not rendered confused from all of this. After reading on the theory and growing inspired by the people passionate on the series, I figure I'd write this fanfic... just for them.

It will break the wall slightly but after reading this theory? I imagine everyone else must have imagined this too. I am also keep Shepard's gender as ambigious as possible so anyone can insert either male or female Shepard into this. It will feel as if its writing the whole thing down in a script but it isn't. I've even modified a few areas. You'll see. Enjoy!

* * *

><p><em>"Wake up."<em>

The voice pulsed almost through the back end of my skull. I felt my battered and broken body push against the cold steel floor of the Citadel and push myself to my feet. My blood shot eyes adjust to my surroundings... and I can see space above me yet I can breathe air just fine. There's a bright beam ahead of me... and yet I stare only at the silhouette of a young boy standing before me.

So many questions run through my head... and yet the boy knew. Just as I barely let the first question roll past my lips, it just... knew.

_"The Citadel. It is my home."_

"... and who... are you...?"

The boy paused before he spoke up again.

_"... I am the Catalyst."_

"... but... I thought the Citadel was-"

_"No. The Citadel is part of me. "_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Somewhere far away...<strong>_

"... Wait. Can any of you see this? Do you see what's happening?"

"It's Shepard!"

"... but... wait... what is...? Oh no."

"You can't be serious. Shepard, don't listen! That's not the Catalyst! That's..."

... It was a voice that would never make it across the computer screen. Many players watch the same sceen play out in sheer horror. Those lucky to see the truth of it all clutch their N7 shirts as a sense of helplessness and dread filled them all. While the meaning of Shepard's dreams became lost in their drive to protect the galaxy, each player caught the clues and only now could they see what was really happening.

Only now with the truth in front of them, they could not warn or guide Shepard away from it all. It was as if Harbinger was sickeningly displaying this to torture the real perpetrator of the Reapers' goal. Strip away the beacon of hope and break the real light of hope from all of humanity.

**Break **the** Player.**

It was almost as if they could hear the sickening purr of Harbinger in the back of their skulls as they were forced to watch Shepard. Force to watch all their hard work become meaningless. They could almost hear that sickeningly taunting voice of Harbinger break the fourth wall of their beloved game and purr out those words to every single one of them.

_'I know this hurts you. Hope is irrevelant. All that you fought for is irrelevant. You cannot stop Shepard's destiny.'_

* * *

><p>"I... I need to stop the Reapers," I begged, as if I had nowhere else to turn, "Do you know how I can do that?"<p>

The emotionless stare of the 'Catalyst' stared back at me as if processing the very question upon itself. Its face contemplated on how to answer my question. Every second felt like hours have gone by. I waited in desperation for some answer... ANY answer. I can hear the explosions erupting behind me and I pray I'm not too late.

_"... Perhaps,"_ The Catalyst turned away, strolling down the cold hallway and I followed after it almost like a dog obeying its master, _"I control the Reapers. They are my... solution."_

"... a solution...? To what?"

_"Chaos."_

"..."

_"The created will always rebel against their creators... but... we've found a way to stop that from happening. A way to restore order for the next cycle."_

* * *

><p>"SHEPARD! It's a TRICK!"<p>

_'Shepard cannot hear you. All you have fought for... it will mean nothing. We are the Harbinger of your existence.'_

"_**Bullshit!**_"

The sound of people slamming their fists against the computer desk while others threw their controllers onto the ground in their frustration. Hundreds of players would grip their foreheads in despair or some would stare at the screen with tears streaming down their face... and yet, somewhere, each of them could feel it. Hear it. That sickening purr that seemed to approve where all of this was going. Shepard was almost in their grasp and there was nothing any of them could do about it.

Their hero was about to be destroyed and Shepard didn't even see it.

* * *

><p>"... by... wiping out all organic life?"<p>

I paused as I felt my head turn to the side slightly. I thought I heard someone cry out in horror. I'm not alone? I wanted to call out for that person and see if it was Anderson or maybe someone else survived and made it through... but the Catalyst's voice drew my attention back to itself. The lingering thought and hope of not being alone up here drifted away and I've almost forgotten I even heard someone.

_"No."_

"..."

_"We harvest advanced civilizations, leaving the younger ones alone... just as we left your people alive in the last cycle."_

"... but... you kill the rest."

The Catalyst and I walked along the lifeless hall of the center of the Citadel.

_"We helped them ascend so they could make way for new life, storing the old life in Reaper form."_

'_**Bullshit!**_'

Its that voice again... but different. I turn my head away from the Catalyst, as if it's 'hold' broke off for a brief moment and I got a good glance of my surroundings. How... How am I here? How did I get here? This voice... it... it wasn't the voice of a Reaper or anyone else I knew of.

Who...?

* * *

><p>"... D-Did... Did you see that?"<p>

"Yes! Someone... Someone broke Harbinger's hold! Did you press a button?"

"No! I didn't do anything, I swear! I just... yelled and..."

"I don't remember seeing that from the leak. Did you?"

"I don't think so. I just... screamed and it was as if Shepard heard me... or heard someone else. How is that possible?"

Voices of Players across the globe stare and watch the scene play out. No one was sure if it was a man or a woman who yelled out that word out into the screen. Whoever it was, it got Shepard's attention. For a brief second, the fourth wall was pierced and their beloved Shepard heard their desperate cry... but it wasn't enough.

"Maybe it was a glitch...?"

"... but... that voice is-"

"Wait. You heard him too? Your not watching those lame youtube videos again? Or any of those 'Assuming Direct Control' memes?"

"No! I..."

That horrific, demented purr of Harbinger grew louder in the minds of every single player of the game. Some gripped their foreheads while others felt the pits of their stomach churn in disgust. No... It was real. Somehow... Harbinger knew of their existence and wanted them to see this.

"Oh my god..."

"Stop it! Just... stop it! Let Shepard go!"

_'... If I must tear apart your spirit, I will. Watch. You cannot stop Shepard's ascendance into something greater.'_

"... He really means it. Holy shit, this is fuckin' real...!"

"... Shepard! Stop! Don't listen! The Catalyst! Its H-Augh!"

That sickening purr stops any player from screaming out the truth... not that Harbinger was going to give them any idea that they could. It IS just a game, after all.

* * *

><p>That voice... It returned something in me. I felt a slight hint of defiance shine into my eyes as I gaze at down at the child.<p>

"... I think we'd rather keep our own form."

_"No!"_

The Catalyst's voice grew just barely and any defiance I felt was torn away in an instant. I could feel the despair grow out of the pit my stomach as it seemed to dash down any hope from me.

_"You can't. Without us to stop it, synthetics would destroy all organics. We created this cycle so that never happens. That is our solution."_

* * *

><p>"... but... but that isn't true!"<p>

"Shepard! Don't forget the Geth! Or the Quarians! That's proof enough that synthetics and organics can exist! Your being lied to! Shepard, wake up!"

"I don't think... I don't think Shepard can hear you, man. Harbinger... He won't let us."

Each player stared on to the screen as a growing despair seemed to overcome all of them. Was there really nothing they could do? They had to watch their beloved Shepard become indoctrinated right before their eyes and let all of life be destroyed? It was as if they could feel Harbinger's purr, as if the damned Reaper was gaining personal satisfaction of their suffering.

... but then...

... No one knows who it was. Whether it was a man or a woman, PC gamer, XBox or even a PS3 owner, a single voice seemed to cry out. Every player heard that one voice break from that purring sound and echo out into their minds.

"**NO! We can't let this happen! Shepard... Shepard's done the impossible through and through. Shepard delayed the Reapers from coming for over three years and Shepard managed to get through the Collector base and survive! Shepard... Shepard's come a long way just to let Harbinger take Shepard from us now! We CAN do something!**"

_'It is pointless. Meaningless. We are the-'_

"**Shut up! Don't you get it? You're taking away their future! Without hope, there can be no future! Without hope...**"

* * *

><p>"... we might as well be machines, programmed to do what we're told!"<p>

I don't know where that voice came from or why. It echoed from the deep vast of space and ran through my body. It was filled with so much... life. I found myself repeating almost exactly what that voice said. It was so familiar... and it was right. I remember a little as to why I am here but its so hard to grasp that memory.

The 'Catalyst' gave no indication as to what it was thinking at that point. Its gaze stared up to Planet Earth before it stared out ahead along the mysterious hallway. It felt as if it was trying to re-control the situation. Wait. Re-control? How...

_"You have hope. More then you think."_

The Catalyst spoke and my head turned sharply back to it. Whatever thoughts that ran through my head were gone once more.

_"... The fact that you are standing here, the first organic ever, proves it... but it also proves my solution won't work anymore."_

"... so then... now what?"

_"We find a new solution,"_ Its voice echoed,_ "The Crucible... It has changed me, created new possibilities... but I can't make them happen."_

"I-"

_"... I know you've thought about destroying us. You can wipe all synthetic life if you want... but..."_

* * *

><p>The choices laid out for Shepard were being watched by the players. Shepard could see the 'better' options but they weren't being fooled. None of them were... but Harbinger wasn't trying to indoctrinate them. It was Shepard that Harbinger wanted. Not them... and yet Harbinger wanted to settle the score to the 'unseen' guide behind Commander Shepard.<p>

Harbinger was wrong.

That same voice from before reached out to every single player that was watching this one single event.

"**Shepard can hear us! Didn't any of you see earlier? Shepard needs us! Shepard needs us to hold the line! Without us, Shepard is going to betray everyone and the cycle will never end. We can break this cycle! We've fought alongside Shepard from Mass Effect 1 and 2! We've laughed and cried as we watched the story play out before all of us!**

"**Shepard isn't alone. Shepard has never been alone! We've been there from the very start! We came here to destroy the Reapers and that is exactly what we'll do! In some way... Every single person playing this game IS Commander Shepard in their own right!**"

_'Vermin. You cannot understand-'_

"... yeah... **YEAH!** We can **do** this! We need to hold the line! For Shepard!"

_'Inevitable.'_

"Harbinger's wrong! We can stop this!** Hold the line!** Together!"

"Yeah!"

_'ENOUGH.'_

"Let's DO this!"

"For **Shepard!**"

"For the Galaxy!"

"For Garrus, Tali... **Everyone!**"

* * *

><p>So even with their destruction... This is the only way.<p>

I can almost feel the tears stream down my cheeks as I limp toward the beam in front of me. This... This seemed like the only way now. Saren was right. The Illusive Man was right all along. I was...

... I... was...

**'Wait! Stop!'**

I could hear several voices call my name. I stop in my walk to the beam as more then a single voice seemed to cry out to me. I can't my head out and stare up to the stars above me. The voices, hopeful and strong, call out to me from somewhere far away. No... Almost as if it came from another time and place.

**'Shepard!'**

**'Don't go that way! Its a trick! Harbinger... It's all a lie! That isn't the way! If you... if you go that way, then everything you've ever fought for...'**

"... What...? I..."

**'Don't give in! Your stronger then Harbinger! You've always have been!'**

**'You mean so much more to everyone! Don't forget what you came to do. Don't forget what your fighting for!'**

**'Please... Remember...!'**

... What I'm fighting for...

Images of Joker and EDI come across my mind. I remember Kaiden, Ashley, Garrus, Tali and Wrex... I remember running toward the beam and the bright golden eyes in the distance and the heat of Harbinger's beam descending on-

I turned my head sharply back to the Catalyst. For a brief second, I could see its eyes shine a bright golden light before it faded away from existence. The truth...

Something was trying to push the truth away from me. Something... or someone.

I turned away from the beam's light and started to limp my body toward the red light. I could hear a growl in the back of my skull and a hidden force tried to hinder my journey. I forced myself with all the strength I could to the red portion of the room. The growl was replaced by the cheer and enouraging cries of so many people.

I don't know who any of them were but hundreds, no, thousands of voices chanted my name and told me to keep going. The limp slowly began to disappear as the bleeding in my side began to stop. I could feel the grip on my weapon tighten as my resolve began to grow even stronger then ever before.

I came here to destroy the Reapers. I won't be stopped, not now. What was I thinking? The Geth and the Quarians held a truce together and are slowly learning to co-existence on their home world. We don't need to become synthetic to exist. No!

That hidden voice tried to keep me from lifting my gun at the device before me. Just a few shots and I could stop this. I could... save... but... Harbinger...

**'Hold the line!'**

My eyes stare down as I felt several hands wrap around my battered arm. Hundreds of people with the N7 logo on their chests helped me raise my arm and aim my weapon to the beacon. No, I wasn't alone. Even in this darkest moment, I was not alone. Someone is out there, watching me. This isn't just my fight. Its theirs, too.

I pulled the trigger.

After the first shot, I could not stop firing. Each shot pierced through the glass and I felt the flames engulf me in its explosion. The growling almost sounded like a shriek as everything grew dark.

* * *

><p><strong>"YEAH!"<strong>

The cheers of hundreds roared out. Players could feel the single bond every single one of them forged to one another in that single moment. Some high fived one another while others hugged each other. In this link, they managed to do the impossible... just as Shepard had done so many times before.

But that growl echoed in the back of their heads.

_'Vermin,'_ Harbinger's voice growled out,_ 'You have only delayed the inevitable. The forces of the universe bend to me. Our power is unmatched. This... is only but a miner set back. Shepard will face annhilation.'_

That growl slowly faded away into the back of their heads and another voice called out to all of them. It was faint but they knew exactly who it was.

It was Shepard.

'Thank you. I can take it from here.'

Just like that, the voice faded away and left only a black screen.

* * *

><p>I felt a deep breath echo through my lungs and pushed myself out of the rubble. There are bodies everywhere around me and the sound of fighting taking place everywhere. I grabbed whatever weapon I could and stared out to the beam before me.<p>

The fight isn't over yet.

Not until the Reapers are destroyed.

Fin.


End file.
